Thaïs

Diva Renée Fleming hits the big screen in a live Met broadcast

Even non-opera fans will appreciate the importance of the following name: Renée Fleming. The immensely popular diva will not, unfortunately, be coming to a Houston stage in person but will instead be beamed live (and in high definition) into local movie theaters as part of the Metropolitan Operas broadcast of Thaïs, its latest production. The three-act French opera by Jules Massenet stars Fleming as a courtesan in fourth-century Egypt who leaves her life as a lusty mistress and converts to Christianity with the help of a monk named Athanaël  only to unwittingly paralyze Athanaël with her beauty and cause his fall from grace. Lush costumes, high drama and soul-searching mark this new production, which is screening at 11 a.m. Various Houston, Sugar Land, Katy and Humble theaters, including Houston Marq*E Stadium, 7620 Katy Freeway. For information, visit www.metoperafamily.org. $24.
Sat., Dec. 20, 11 a.m., 2008